Delivery mechanism of tea-bag closing machines



Dec. 3, 1940. KELLER 2,224,021

DELIVERY MECHANISM OF TEA-BAG CLOSING MACHINES Filed Feb. 8, 1940 INVENTOR fl/YDREW KEL LE/i ATTORNEY closing machine, or required 25 3 tion further provides merit of efiiciency and'simplicity. By the use I of the presentinventionl Patented Dec. 3, 1940 PATENT orrics v DELIVERY MECHANISM OF TEA-BAG v CLOSING MACHINES Andrew Keller, Jamaica, N.

Tea PacketCo of New York Y., assignor to Cooper Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation Application February 8, 1940, Serial No. 317,855

6 Claims.

. The tea-bags usually have tags attached thereto by a string, by which the bags are handled. The

string is frequently a length of looped thread, such as is formed by theidle running of a sewing machine. v

. To prevent the strings becoming tangled when a number of tea-bags are packaged in a bag or carton, it is the practice to assemble the tags on top of each tea-bag and to insert a group-of tea-bags ina bag or carton with the bags and tags thus assembled. The assembling of the tags on the tops of the tea-bags has heretofore been done by hand, and this has retardedthe speed of the semi-automatic tea-bag filling and more than one operator at the delivery end of the machine, The assembling of the tags .on top of the bags automatically has been difficult to accomplish owing chiefly to the lightness of the tags, andflthe tensions and torsional forces encountered in the 'strings. The present invention'has overcome these dificulties and provides'a delivery mechanism which operates automatically to assemble the tags onthe tops of the tea-bags. The invenmechanism having the the eficiency of an operator at the delivery end of the machine for closing the tea-bags has been increased from 15t025%.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated the accompanying drawing, wherein: Fig. 1 is a top plan view-of the present improvements together with so much of a bag c1os ing machine as will show the relation of the present improvements thereto. V j 1 Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view. on the line II-II, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective .view of a part of the combination which controls the falling .of the tag and bag so that the tag is assembled on top of the bag. a

Referring to said drawing, numeral I desig nates a turn-table, alongside of which the operator at the delivery end sits, and which receives the filled and closed tea-bags from a semi-automatic tea-bag filling and closingmachine designated by the numeral l2.

Said machine l2 comprises a conveyor, which, as here shown, may comprise a chain I4 and a sprocket wheel l5. To the conveyor are attached a plurality of spaced trays 20, 2|, 22. These trays receive filled tea-bags, and carry them past a closing station where the bags are closed by a suitable mechanism (not shown). Clamps 25 are provided for holding the tea-bags onthe trays, and for holding the open ends of the tea-bags closed until they have been closed by the closing mechanism. Clamps 3i) are also provided for clamping the tags to the trays, the tag for a given tea-bag being carried by the tray which succeeds the tray on which the bag is carried in the direction of the line of travel of the conveyor E2 on which the trays are carried. The tea-bags are usually closed by a sewing machine (not shown) and the clamps hold the open ends of the tea-bags and a margin of the tags in position to be pierced by the needles as the bags and tags are conveyed past the sewing machine. The sewing machine operates idly between a bag and each succeeding tag, and the needles loop the thread so as to form a string between the tag and a tea-bag. The sewing machine operates continuously and the looped thread is continuous from bag to bag and the intermediate tags, and with this form of closing machine, a knife 35 is provided for severing the looped thread between a tag and the tea-bag -Which'precedes it, the severing of the looped thread being done while the bags and the tags are clamped by the clamping 'means and 39.

The trays are pivotally connected to the conveyor as indicated by numeral 31. Means are included for controlling the position of the trays around their pivotal connections 87. This means conveniently comprises guide rails 59, 4|, and these guide rails are arranged so as to hold the. trays in the desired or most suitable position thereof on the conveyor with'respect to the different operations tobe performed on the bags and tags during their course through the machine. Ordinarily the trays are held in a substantially horizontal position while the continuous looped thread is being severed by the knife 35. As the trays approach the position where the bags and tags are delivered onto the turntable l0, they are turned to an inclined position, so that whenthe bags and tags are released by the clamps 25 and 3!], they may fall from the trays, to be hereinafter more fully described. To this end a rail 4| near the delivery position has a portion 42 on a level sufiiciently below the pivotal connection 31 to enable'the tray, with its discharge end resting on the rail portion 42, to allow the bags and tags readily to fall therefrom when released by the clamps 25 and 30. The rail 4!], near the delivery end, rises to a position above the pivotal mounting of the trays, as indicated at 43, so as to guide the rear of the tray when the discharge end rides on the rail portion 42, as best shown in Fig. 2.

Suitable means for releasing the clamp 3|li are provided. This may comprise a cam rail 5|! arranged to coact with an arm 5| on the ta clamp 30.

Suitable means are also provided for releasing the bag clamp 25, and this means, as here shown, may be similar to the tag clamp releasing means, and include a cam-rail 55 and an arm 55 on the bag clamp 25 arranged to coact therewith.

The invention further comprises a means for controlling the fall of thebags and tags, when released, so as to bring about the automatic assembly of the tags on the tops of the bags, on the turntable Ill. The fall controller comprises a plate 60 which is arranged at an incline below the trays in their inclined position, and. above the turntable it. The fall controller 6|] has a notch 62 therein, and the edge-portion 63 at the side of the notch in the direction of the approach of the trays functions as a guide for the string near its point of connection to the tea-bag. At the opposite side of the notch, there is a portion 65 over which the body of the bag slides and partly turns as it falls from its tray. In advance of the notch 62 the fall controller or plate 60 has a depression 51 down which the tag slides, and which functions to guide and control the fall of the tag. In advance of the depression 61 there is an extended portion 69 which acts as a support for the string, and prevents: the string getting below the plate 60 and thereby affecting the control of the fall of the tag by the fall controller. The position of the cam rails 50 and 55 are related to the position of the fall controller 50 as will be hereinafter described under the heading Operation. The position of the depression 61 is related to the speed of the turntable iii, as will be likewise described. The turntable l0 has a wide portion 10 on which the bags fall and a centrally raised portion 7| arranged to lie adjacent the inner edge of the near side of' the tea-bag in the position which it falls on the portion 1B of the turntable. The raised central portion 1| facilitates the picking up of the assembled bags and tags in groups of superposed assembled bags and tags.

Operation A tea-bag is carried by each of the trays 20, 2| and 22. The tags are connected to the bags by strings, and the'tag 'for any one bag is carried by the tray which follows the tray which carries the bag. That is, referring to Fig. l, the tag for the bag which is carried by the tray 2|, is carried by the tray 26. In one form of closing machine a sewing machine is employed and a continuous string or chain of looped thread connects the bags and tags. In advance of the delivery position, the string of looped thread is severed, as by means of a suitably actuated knife 35, in such manner that a string of proper length l is left between the tag and the bag to which it is connected. While the trays are approaching the delivery position, the bags and tags are clamped on the trays by means of the spring 'ner that it falls partly within the notched portion 62 of the fall controller 60 and partly on the supporting portion 65, and the string, at its point of connection to the bag, and the cam rail 55 is so located, with relation to the speed of travel of the conveyor, as to contact with the arm 56 of the bag clamping means that the released bag when it falls on the fall controller 6|] falls thereon in the manner just described. While the bag is falling, the spring pressed tag clamp 30 continues to hold the tag, and the string connected to the bag has an efiect on the falling and the position in which the bag alights on the turntable l0, said latter position being shown in Fig. 1. During the fall and while the tag is moving toward the fall controller 80, the string is prevented from getting beneath the plate fill by the portion 69 of said plate. The bag which has just fallen on the turntable l0 and its tag which is still clamped on the tray 2| are now moving in opposite directions and the cam rail 50 is so arranged or located that it contacts with the arm 5| of the tag clamp 30 to release said tag so that it falls on the flared depressed portion 61 at a time when the bag is about in front of the depressed portion. Whenthe tag is released said depressed portion 61 controls its fall (and the portion 69 controls the action of the string) in such manner that the tag falls on top of the bag to which it is connected. Successive bags and rests on the portion 63,

tags carried by the trays go through the same delivery action of the tags falling on top of the bags, and a succession of bags with the tags thus assembled, light on the portion 10 of the turntable.

The strings attached to tea-bags, especially those constituted by looped thread such as formed by a sewing machine, have elasticity and irregular torsional strains therein. The tags are light. These conditions introduce variables in the fall of the tags. The present invention provides a means which successfully operates to assemble the tags on the tops of the bags to do this despite the disturbing factors and variables above mentioned.

The operator at the delivery end of the masembled bags and tags in groups one on top of another. In the present invention the work of assembling the bags and tags is automatically performed for the operator, and her work of packing the filled tea-bags is greatly facilitated. The operator in picking up a group of assembled bags and tags simply slides a number of assembled tea-bags and tags lying on the turntable l toward her, using one hand, in such manner that the rear bags will be under the bags ahead of them, and she lifts the grOl p of bags from the turntable holding them so that neither the bags nor the tags can slip, and inserts them in a carton or large bag, her other hand being free to hold the bagor carton while placing the assembled group of assembled bags and tags therein. The work of the operator at the delivery end being thus facilitated, thespeed of operation of the machine can be materially increased. This increase has been found in practice to be from 15 to 25% of the output of a machine without the present improvement, and thus materially decreases the cost of packing the tea-bags and decreasing the ultimate cost to the consumer, or maintaining the cost against rising prices in other factors of cost entering into the packing of tea into tea-bags of the kind which are used for making individual cups of tea.

The invention may receive other embodiments than that herein specifically illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

1. Delivery mechanism of a tea-bag closing machine, comprising a conveyor, spaced trays carried. by said conveyor, means for clam-ping filled tea-bags on said trays, means for clamping tags which are connected by strings to the bags clamped on said trays, a turntable below said trays for receiving bags which fall from said trays, means forreleasing said bag clamping means and said tag clamping means in a position for the bags and tags to fall onto said turntable, and means for controlling the fall of said bags and tags so that each tag falls on top of the bag with which it is connected by a string.

2. Delivery mechanism of a tea-bag closing machine, according to claim 1, wherein said means for controlling the fall of the bags and tags comprises an inclined plate having a notch therein smaller than the fiat dimensions of the tea-bag, opposite the position of the trays at which the clamping means release the bag from the tray, said plate having an edge-portion at one side of the notch which functions as a guide for the string near its point of attachment to the bag, during the fall of the tea-bag from the tray onto the turntable, said inclined plate also having a portion adjacent the opposite side of the notch for supporting and guiding the portion of the tea-bag opposite the part thereof to which the string is connected, for supporting said portion of the tea-bag during its fall, said plate also having a depressed portion in advance of the notch therein at the position at which the tag releasing means releases the tag, the aforesaid depression in said plate being so constructed and arranged, in relation to the travel of the turntable, that a tag falling thereon is guided and controlled to fall on top of the bag to which it is connected.

3. Delivery mechanism of a tea-bag closing machine, according to claim 1, wherein said means for controlling the fall of the bags and tags comprises an inclined plate having a notch therein smaller than the flat dimensions of the tea-bag, opposite the position of the trays at which the clamping means release the bags from the tray, said plate having an edge-portion at one side of the notch which functions as a guide for the string near its point of attachment to the bag, during the fall of the tea-bag from the ray onto the turntable, said inclined plate'also having a portion adjacent the opposite side of the notch for supporting and guiding the portion of the tea-bag opposite the part thereof to which the string is connected, for supporting said portion of the tea-bag during its fall, said plate also having a depressed portion in advance of the notch therein at the position at which the tag releasing means releases the tag, the aforesaid depression in said plate being so constructed and arranged, in relation to the travel of the turntable, that a'tag falling thereon is'guided and controlled to fall on top of the bag to which it is connected, said plate also having, in advance of said depressed portion thereof, a string supporting portion, so constructed and arranged as to prevent the string from dropping below the said plate while the tag is clamped and during the fall of the released tag onto its bag which has previously fallen onto the said turntable.

4. Delivery mechanism of a tea-bag closing machine, according to claim 1, wherein the bags and tags are connected by a continuous looped thread as formed by a string connecting a tag and a bag being constituted by the looped thread, further comprising means in advance of the tag and bag clamps releasing means, for severing the looped thread between a tag and a bag which precedes it in the direction of travel of the conveyor.

5. Delivery mechanism of a tea-bag closing machine, according to claim 1, including pivotal connections between said trays and said conveyor and guide rails for said trays, said guide rails being so constructed and arranged so as to support said trays in a substantially horizontal position, in advance of said bag clamp and tag clamp releasing means, to turn said trays at an incline to said turntable, so that the bags and tags may fall from said trays, at the positions of said trays at which said bag clamp and tag clamp releasing means release the bags and tags.

v 6. Delivery mechanism of tea-bag closing machine according to claim 1, wherein said turntable has a central disk-like portion raised above the level of the portion thereof on which the bags fall.

ANDREW KELLER.

sewing machine, the 

